Our Work Continues
NeighbourWoods North tree planting and maintenance Spring sessions at Bright Shores Hospital have finished for 2025. Regular Saturday sessions will pick up again in the Fall, and yet there are still opportunities to help out over the summer!
Different volunteers will be on the grounds most Saturdays to continue mulching trees, especially the newly planted ones by the overflow pond to the East of the hospital property off 8th Street. Watering might also be needed. Just look for cars parked where trees have been planted - starting with the corner of 8th street and 16th Avenue East.
The Welcoming Garden outside the Main Entrance is maintained over the Summer by a small crew of volunteers who would welcome others to join them at their Tuesday evening workbees starting at 6:30pm. Inexperienced gardeners can work under the direction of a Master Gardener, Vicky Thompson, and learn a lot.
"After a beautiful display of daffodils in the spring in the Welcoming Garden - it is now time to focus on some updates for the perennial plantings. After five years, some areas need refreshing! On Saturday June 7 we replanted two areas with a mixture of traditional perennials and native plants. We will work on two other areas in late summer and early fall. In the meantime we will continue to have weekly Tuesday evening sessions to weed and plant both the Welcoming and the Meadow Gardens."
- Vicky Thompson
Please consider joining us for some relaxing garden work and enjoyable company.
Volunteers are welcome to come for one week, a few weeks or all season long. If you have questions about what is involved as a volunteer with NeighbourWoods North, please call Shawna at 416-918-6975.
NeighbourWoods North
Taking a look at Owen Sound from a high vantage point such as the Centennial Tower and a vibrant, healthy urban tree canopy seems to dominant the city. But did you know that Owen Sound loses tree canopy every year? In addition to commercial and residential development urban trees must contend with pests, parasites, storms, winds, traffic pollution, disease, street and sidewalk construction, street widening, and interference by utility wires.
NeighbourWoods North was created in 2017 to help combat the loss of Owen Sound's tree canopy. This is accomplished through plantings, advocacy, and education. NeighbourWoods North started a major tree planting project at the Owen Sound Hospital in 2018. This has grown to include gardens, a walking trail, and eventually local art works and gathering spaces. The dream is to see the once neglected acreage of the Owen Sound Hospital become a tree covered area of community focus and healing.
Advocating for the maintenance and growth of our existing green infrastructure is also important to the welfare of our city. With this in mind, in 2021 NeighbourWoods North urged the city to become a Tree City of the World which helps to ensure proper stewardship of all city trees. With the backing of NeighbourWoods North, the first application was submitted by the City of Owen Sound for consideration of inclusion in the ranks of Tree Cities of the World. Additionally NeighbourWoods North has advocated and will continue to advocate with developers to retain trees on their prospective developments.
NeighbourWoods North is committed to educating the public about the benefits and challenges of urban forestry. We do this through speaking at area schools and organizations. Social media, our website, and our planting activities also help to educate the public about urban forestry and the environment. Future plans include a yearly celebration of our trees.
As part of education and advocacy, NeighbourWoods North works together with individual volunteers and community groups, organizations, businesses, and governments to improve the quality of the local environment in Owen Sound and area. Groups include not only those which focus on the environment but also those focusing on the arts, society, history, sports, service, heritage, and tourism.
We look forward to continuing to improve our urban forests and adjacent lands with and for our community.
